Design Happens

If you’re a makeover show aficionado, you know there are two things you can expect designers to do: ditch the ceiling fan (or at least upgrade to a nicer one) and re-skin an outdated fireplace (the horrors of brass!).

Well, with temps dipping into the teens and snow falling outside here in the Northeast, a ceiling fan isn’t on my mind today, but fireplaces definitely are. My rental doesn’t have a cozy hearth (sigh), but to battle my mid-winter doldrums, I decided to scope out some heartwarming inspirations here on the HGTV site and Rate My Space (click on the images to see the gallery/articles):

And one outdoor idea for our (lucky) pals in warmer climes:

Of course, the greenie in me wants to remind you that a fireplace isn’t always very eco-friendly. But if you like the luxury, be mindful of your fuel. Whenever I hijack a pal’s hearth, I use Duraflame, a pressed log made with renewable, non-toxic wax and wood scraps (sawdust and shavings), or Java-Logs, the coffee firelog. Both burn longer than traditional wood, too.

And here are some ideas from our sister site, Ecologue.com, about greening up your fireplace. Plus, a chic-and-simple homemade fire pit, perfect for when the temperatures start rising again.